Sterile Value Stream Operations Delivery Director

Locations - Barnard Castle (UK)

Business Introduction

We manufacture and supply reliable, high-quality medicines and vaccines to meet patients’ needs and drive our performance.
Our network of 37 medicines and vaccines manufacturing sites delivered 1.7 billion packs of medicines and 409 million vaccine doses in 2024 to help make a positive impact on the health of millions of people.

Our supply chain is not just core to our operations; it’s vital to bringing our innovations to patients as quickly, efficiently and effectively as possible. Technology is transforming how we manufacture medicines and vaccines, enabling us to increase the speed, quality and scale of product supply. We need the very best minds and capability to help us on our journey to make more complex products, harnessing the power of smart manufacturing technologies including robotics, digital solutions and artificial intelligence to deliver for patients.

Position Summary

The role supports the Value Stream Operations Manager in delivering safe, compliant and reliable end-to-end performance across the Sterile Value Stream, with a particular focus on operational delivery, execution discipline and continuous improvement.

Working across Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, MSAT and Technical functions, the role coordinates day-to-day performance to achieve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People objectives, strengthen capacity and capability, and ensure reliable product supply.

The job holder deputises for the Value Stream Operations Manager when required, ensuring continuity of leadership, supporting governance and escalation, and translating value stream priorities into effective operational execution.

This role will provide YOU the opportunity to lead key activities to progress YOUR career. These responsibilities include some of the following:

• Support the Value Stream Operations Manager in delivering Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People objectives and deputise when required.
• Coordinate daily and weekly operational performance, ensuring priorities, actions, decisions and escalations are clear across the Value Stream Leadership Team.
• Drive delivery of production, service, schedule attainment, capacity, throughput and productivity commitments.
• Provide visible safety and quality leadership, supporting cGMP compliance, inspection readiness, risk management and a strong compliance culture.
• Lead cross-functional resolution of operational constraints, supply risks and performance gaps, escalating significant issues appropriately.
• Support delivery of operating plans, budgets, productivity commitments, loss elimination and waste-reduction priorities.
• Lead selected continuous-improvement programmes using the GSK Production System, Lean, Six Sigma and structured problem solving.
• Coordinate operational readiness for new products, technology transfers, capital projects, commissioning, qualification and start-up activities.
• Use operational, quality and financial data to improve visibility, decision-making, predictability and performance.
• Coach leaders and teams, strengthening accountability, inclusion, engagement, capability and sustainable high performance.

The Sterile Value Stream Operations Delivery Director will:

• Act within delegated authority and provide continuity of value stream leadership in the Operations Manager’s absence.
• Connect strategy to daily execution and maintain disciplined follow-through on performance commitments.
• Influence across functional boundaries while respecting the accountability of functional leaders.
• Surface risks early, simplify ways of working and enable timely decisions.
• Balance immediate delivery needs with compliance, reliability and long-term capability.

Why You?

Basic Qualification

We are seeking professionals with the following required skills and qualifications to help us achieve our goals:

• Degree level qualification or equivalent experience in Engineering, Science, Manufacturing, Supply Chain or Business Management.
• Operational leadership experience in a highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Experience coordinating delivery across operations and cross-functional partners.
• Demonstrated delivery of safety, quality, service, productivity or cost improvements.
• Experience using performance data, governance routines and structured escalation to drive action.
• Capability to influence stakeholders, lead teams and coach others without relying solely on direct authority.
• Working knowledge/ experience of cGMP, quality systems, supply planning and production-system principles.
• Experience supporting inspections, audits, operational risk management or business continuity.

Preferred Qualification

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:

• Advanced qualification in, Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manufacturing Leadership, or Operations Management.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt or equivalent improvement experience.
• Experience in sterile or aseptic manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Experience deputising for a senior operations leader or leading through delegated authority.
• Experience supporting new product introductions, technology transfers, capital investments or organisational change.

How to apply

Please submit your CV and a short cover letter that explains why you are interested and how your experience maps to this role. We encourage applications from people with different backgrounds and experiences. We look forward to hearing from you.

Closing date for applications: 20 November 2026 (EOD)

 

Skills

Data Integrity, Detail-Oriented, Digital Fluency, Emergency Response, Financial Acumen, GxP Regulations, Lean Management, Manufacturing Processes, Problem Solving, Production Management, Project Coordination, Quality Compliance, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Awareness, Site Operations

 

 

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

 

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.

 

People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

 

GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.

 

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

 

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us at UKRecruitment.Adjustments@gsk.com where you can also request a call.

 

Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels. However, we have created a  Recruitment FAQ guide. Click the link where you will find answers to multiple questions we receive

 

Important notice to Employment businesses/ Agencies

GSK does not accept referrals from employment businesses and/or employment agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. All employment businesses/agencies are required to contact GSK's commercial and general procurement/human resources department to obtain prior written authorization before referring any candidates to GSK. The obtaining of prior written authorization is a condition precedent to any agreement (verbal or written) between the employment business/ agency and GSK. In the absence of such written authorization being obtained any actions undertaken by the employment business/agency shall be deemed to have been performed without the consent or contractual agreement of GSK. GSK shall therefore not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site.

 

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